Buster's Special Delivery/Transcript

Arthur Read: Have you ever noticed how people who are really good at something make it look so easy? I even have trouble skating backwards. (screaming) Agh!

Skater: A few more hours of practice and you'll get it.

Arthur: It's very important not to give up on something you love to do. (voice-over) For instance take the Wright brothers. They've failed so many times before they succeeded, but they kept trying, and they kept on crashing. It wasn't easy making the first successful airplane flight ever.

(Back at the skating rink)

Arthur: Sometimes it takes a lot of work before you can make it look easy.

D.W. Read: I wouldn't say you made it look easy.

Arthur: Whoa! Ouch! Stop showing off, D.W.!

(Buzzer)

(Title card)

BUSTER'S SPECIAL DELIVERY

Written by: Cusi Cram --- Storyboard by: Elie Klimos

Francine Frensky: (V.O.) Buster's Special Delivery.

(We now return to the story)

Mr. Haney: May I have everyone's attention please? There's a new volunteer job available to a qualified 3rd grader.

Buster: Does volunteer mean you don't get paid?

Mr. Haney: Ms Tingley will no longer be delivering the faculty mail we would like to have a student take over this responsibility it will be a rotating job so that everyone who's really interested has a chance to try it out.

Buster: Who would want to do that?

Mr. Haney: Well unfortunately the job will require one of you missing ten minutes of homeroom every morning now who would like to be our first student mail carrier?

Buster: Me pick me I love mail.

Mr. Haney: Alright Muffy which skills do you possess that would make you qualified to be our first student mail career?

Muffy: Well as you can see in my resume and my references Mr. Haney I have extensive experience opening the mail I subscribe to ten magazines in at least 50 catalogs.

Mr. Haney: Okay George what are the three adjectives that describe the real you?

George: Uh I'm quiet shy and afraid of beetles.

Mr. Haney: And why would you be interested in being the first student mail carrier?

Arthur: Because I'm organized punctual and I think that I could do a pretty good job too.

Mr. Haney: So you think you could? Alright Buster why do you want to be interested in being our first student mail carrier?

Buster: Let me talk about mail Mr. Haney, mail and I me and mail and you want to know what the most important day of my life was?

Mr. Haney: No but.

Buster: The day that I got my very first letter actually it was a coupon for a manicure and I didn't really know what that was but I was so touched.

Mr. Haney: I never knew how strongly you felt about mail Buster so I'm making you the first official student mail carrier.

Buster: Oh thanks Mr. Haney.

Mr. Haney: This is a wonderful opportunity for you to take on some responsibility. Buster?

Ms. Tingley: Alright Buster I've broken this job down into three easy steps.

Buster: So Mr. Haney really meant what he said about me missing 10 minutes of homeroom every morning?

Ms. Tingley: Yes now the three steps are stacking it alphabetizing it and delivering it to the right faculty mailbox.

Buster: And that hat is really mine?

Ms. Tingley: Yes but if you forget one of the steps just think sad that's short for stacking alphabetizing and delivering.

Buster: Hi Mr. Higgins.

Mr. Higgins: Hi Buster what's that you're wearing on your head?

Buster: It's a student mail carriers cap. It's my new job at school.

Mr. Higgins: Congratulations Buster that's quite an honor.

Buster: Wow you did that really fast.

Mr. Higgins: Yep I make it look easy but it takes hard work and dedication.

Buster: It seemed pretty easy when Ms. Tingley was showing me this afternoon.

Mr. Higgins: Are you aware of a huge responsibility that comes with being a mail carrier?

Buster: Well kind of I know it comes with a hat.

Mr. Higgins: Can I impart some words of wisdom to you? From one mail carrier to another?

Buster: Why sure.

Mr. Higgins: This is the creed we all live by neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Buster: What does that mean?

Mr. Higgins: It means that nothing stops us from delivering the mail.

Buster: Snow heat gloom? Whew it sure is hot thank Goodness this street is done well on to the next one oh what's a little rain and gloom? I've got mail to deliver. What noooooo.

Mr. Haney: Buster it's about time for you to return to your homeroom.

Buster: But Mr. Haney I can't go back until the job is done.

Mr. Haney: Well I appreciate your commitment Buster but you need to pick up the pace a little.

Buster: Oh right okay I've got to work faster just be swift.

• [cut to the living room]
• Bitzi: Hmm. Nothing but junk mail today. How was your first day on the job?
• Buster: Oh, it was rough. I had barely enough time to get it all done.
• Bitzi: The first day of a job is always hard, but I'm sure you did great.
• [cut outside]
• Ratburn: Where is the bus for our field trip? I sent you the form confirming my request yesterday.
• Ms. Tingley: I didn't receive the form, so I didn't confirm the bus.
• Ratburn: [sighs] Class, the field trip to the zoo is cancelled. Everyone back inside for an impromptu spelling bee.
• [the students groan]
• Coach: [blows whistle] Well, we were going to have a dodge ball tournament today, but my gym ball order never made it to the outgoing mailbox.
• [they all groan]
• Coach: So give me ten laps, and then we'll work on our push-ups.
• Buster: What have I done?
• [the coach blows a whistle, then ringing a bell]
• Buster: Prune cups? But the menu said watermelon slices today.
• [cut to the cafeteria]
• Mrs. MacGrady: Well, somehow, my order for watermelons got lost in the mail.
• [riding a bike to Mr. Higgins]
• Mr. Higgins: Hi, there Buster. How's the new job going?
• Buster: Eh, not so well. There's so much mail and so little time. I don't know how you do it.
• Mr. Higgins: I wasn't always a great mail carrier, Buster, but I had a great teacher. He taught me everything I know.
• Man: There's one thing you must remember when you're in charge of the mail, son: approach it one letter at a time.
• Mr. Higgins: Wow. One letter at a time.
• Man: Say it to yourself as your sort, as you deliver: "letter by letter."
• [cut back to Buster]
• Buster: Letter by letter, that's it!
• Mr. Higgins: And then employ the four cardinal rules of efficient mail delivery: gather, look at each letter, alphabetize and deliver: G-L-A-D, GLAD.
• Buster: I thought it was SAD.
• Mr. Higgins: No, no, Buster. As my mentor always said, when you do it right, you'll be glad.
• Buster: Thanks, Mr. Higgins.
• Mr. Higgins: I think you might have just what it takes, kid.
  • [Buster puts the hat back on]
  • Bitzi: [bringing a plate] I made your favorite: banana walnut pancakes.
  • Buster: I don't have time for breakfast; I'm late for work.
  • Bitzi: But it's only 7:30.
  • Buster: I'm late! I'll pick something at the office. [putting mail letters on the table] Letter by letter. [writes two checkmarks] "Haney" comes before "Ratburn." "Tingley" is after "MacGrady." [writes another checkmark]
  • Ratburn: Buster, yesterday there seemed to be a mix-up with the mail.
  • Buster: There won't be any more mix-ups. I have a system. [grabs an envelope] There's a faculty meeting this afternoon, and Ms. Tingley is organizing a softball game and wants to know if you'd like to join.
  • Ratburn: Your job is to deliver mail, not read it.
  • Buster: [writes the last checkmark] Don't I know it. I didn't know you were a softball player.
  • [cut to the cafeteria with Arthur slurping milk, then yawning]
  • Arthur: Tired?
  • Buster: Well, of course I'm tired. Do you know what kind of stress I'm under at work?
  • Francine: Work?
  • Buster: Everyday there's mail, a lot of mail, a lot of mail, and someone has to deliver it.
  • Muffy: But you've doing it for two days.
  • Buster: Two days is like two years for a mail carrier.
  • Arthur: The watermelon slices are back.
  • Buster: Thanks to my foolproof delivery system. Oh, excuse me. I have some confidential mail business. Did you get your letter, Ms. Tingley?
  • Ms. Tingley: I haven't shut my mail yet, Buster.
  • Buster: You have a letter from France. And I wanted to remind you to use correct postage when you're right back. Otherwise, it'll be "Return to sender," and we don't want that, do we?
  • Ms. Tingley: No, we don't.
  • [cut to Buster going to the mail room, then throwing in the trash]
  • Buster: Mr. Haney, you threw this out.
  • Mr. Haney: Don't worry, Buster, it'll be recycled.
  • Buster: But it's the cafeteria menu for the next week. [gives the paper to Mr. Haney] No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job.
  • Arthur: You want to come over after school today and watch a Bionic Bunny marathon?
  • Buster: Uh, I remember the days when I had time to do fun things like watch TV.
  • Arthur: [closing the locker door] Why can't you do fun things anymore?
  • Buster: I've got two words for you: the mail. And neither rain, nor heat, nor snow, nor...
  • Arthur: Okay, okay. But it's a job that's supposed to take up only ten minutes of your day.
  • Buster: But you have no idea what I have to do to prepare for those ten minutes. [closing the locker door]
  • Bitzi: Oh, I thought we'd have Chinese food for dinner.
  • Buster: I'm too tired to eat.
  • Bitzi: You've never been too tired for vegetable dumplings before.
  • Buster: [takes the mask off] It's this job, Mom. I love it, but it really takes it out of me.
  • Bitzi: Honey, I know what it's like to think about work all the time, but you really have to learn to relax.
  • Buster: All right, all right, one dumpling. Maybe two. [eating in the mouth]
  • [cut to the classroom]
  • Mr. Haney: I think we're all aware of what a thorough job Buster has done while serving as our first student mail carrier.
  • Buster: I just want you all to know neither snow nor rain nor...
  • [the class groan]
  • Buster: Buster, not again.
  • Mr. Haney: Yes, yes, you're enthusiasm for mail has no bounds. You've really gone above and beyond the call of duty in the job. However, you will recall that is a rotating position.
  • Buster: Well, what do you mean?
  • Mr. Haney: It means that now it's time for somebody else to do the job.
  • Buster: Are you firing me, Mr. Haney? After I gave you the best week of my life?
  • Mr. Haney: I am not firing you. I just want everyone to experience huge responsibility of delivering the mail.
  • Buster: Nobody knows what it takes until they've done it.
  • Mr. Haney: Exactly my point. That's why I've put you in charge of training the next student mail carrier.
    • [cut to the mail room]
    • Buster: The key to delivering mail is to do it letter by letter.
    • Arthur: I really get to wear this hat?
    • Buster: Yes. Now, the four steps to delivering mail are GLAD: Gather it, Look at each letter, Alphabetize it...
    • Arthur: [grabbing a cap] I really get to take this hat home with me?
    • Buster: You're not listening to me. It's not about the hat. It's about delivering the mail.
    • Arthur: There should be uniform that comes with this hat.
    • [last lines]
    • Buster: Delivering the mail is a big responsibility, you know. There's a creed that we all live by: Neither snow nor... Aw...